Circus Boys

1989 1h 46m JA

👍

7.3

SOLID

★7.3TMDB · 3

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Brothers Jinta and Wataru are raised in a travelling circus. After an accident, Jinta decides to leave and wanders the countryside working as a con-man. After a run-in with local yakuza, he's invited to join their ranks, where he makes the mistake of falling for a boss's mistress. Meanwhile, Wataru stays with the circus and works hard to regain its former glory

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Hiroshi Mikami
Jinta
Moe Kamura
Plaything / Omocha
Xiu Jian
Wataru
Michiru Akiyoshi
Maria
Yuki Asayama
Sayoko
Bunshi Katsura VI
Samejima
Haruko Wanibuchi
Kimie
Yoshio Harada
Yoshimoto

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Kaizo Hayashi
Writers: Kaizo Hayashi
Languages: Japanese
Countries: Japan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

37 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Kaizo Hayashi, shot by Yuichi Nagata. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Yôko Kumagai. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Osamu Tanaka shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Hiroshi Mikami and Moe Kamura and Xiu Jian carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0122631 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

Only 3 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Kaizo Hayashi directs. Yuichi Nagata behind the camera. Yôko Kumagai scores. Osamu Tanaka cuts. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

137 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Directed by Kaizo Hayashi, shot by Yuichi Nagata. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Yôko Kumagai. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Osamu Tanaka shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Hiroshi Mikami and Moe Kamura and Xiu Jian carry the top of the cast.
6IMDB entry: tt0122631 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
7Only 3 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.